Rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell and the Boston Red Sox agreed to an eight-year extension Wednesday, marking the earliest in a career the Red Sox have ever locked up a player to a multiyear deal.
The extension, which will go through the 2034 season, is worth $60 million, sources told ESPN.
Barely a week into Campbell's time in the big leagues, the Red Sox showed even more faith in Campbell than they had by breaking camp with him. Sources told ESPN that the deal includes two club options -- a $19 million option for 2033 with a $4 million buyout and a $21 million option for 2034 with no buyout.
"I know we have a really good team and a really good system," Campbell said. "It's a winning culture, a winning organization. ... Winning people, in the city of Boston. That made the decision fairly easy."
Campbell, 22, was the consensus minor league player of the year in 2024 after a star-making performance that came out of nowhere. With an unorthodox-looking right-handed swing, Campbell hit .330/.439/.558 with 20 home runs and 77 RBIs while jumping from High-A to Triple-A.
Boston officials entered camp hopeful Campbell would earn the second-base job, and despite the possibility of big-dollar free agent signing Alex Bregman occupying it. Bregman remained at third base, with Rafael Devers switching to designated hitter to accommodate Campbell's arrival.
"They developed me from day one, as soon as I got drafted. They've been working with me every day," Campbell said. "I've learned something new every day. They've helped me become the player I am today. So it means a lot to me that I'm with the Red Sox for a long time.
"I've just got to worry about baseball now. Everything that's happened is life-changing for sure. I'm looking forward to just playing baseball now, winning games."
The Red Sox's continued spending -- they locked up ace Garrett Crochet to a six-year, $170 million deal earlier this week -- enriches a long-term core that includes Devers signed until 2033, super-utility man Ceddanne Rafaela through 2031, Crochet and right-hander Brayan Bello through 2030 and the forthcoming arrival of Campbell's running mates in Boston's big three prospects, outfielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Marcelo Mayer.
Boston's desire to lock in players to early-career deals in hope of maximizing their performance is no secret. And Campbell's first week with the Red Sox only serves as validation: He's hitting .375/.500/.688 with a long home run to left-center field.
"We're building something really good," Campbell said. "We have a lot of great players. ... Going in the right direction for sure."
Campbell's burgeoning power helped launch him toward the top of prospect lists this winter. After hitting .376/.484/.549 in his lone season at Georgia Tech, Campbell went to the Red Sox in the fourth round with the compensation pick they received for losing Xander Bogaerts to San Diego in free agency. Boston coaches helped rebuild Campbell's swing and saw immediate results, more than doubling his homer-per-game output from college.
At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Campbell will be the solution for a second-base position held down for more than a decade by Dustin Pedroia. Since his retirement following the 2017 season, the Red Sox have been led in games played at second by six different players in seven years.